Tuesday 17 February 2009

An altered perspective



This card is actually for a workshop called 'Cards you can only give to girlfriends'. The colours were inspired by the challenge on Colour Create this week. It really goes back to basics in stamping techniques, but I don't think it's a bad thing to re-visit what you know every now and then. Heck, we strive to push forward and come up with new everything and for a minute here, I thought I'd stand still and enjoy the moment!

The whole 'create with technique' thing can be quite intimidating. I've often found myself faced with overloading a card or LO for the want of including the latest technique and displaying what I know like some crafty peacock. And this is where I fall over the altering thing. Again, before I upset the entire interweb, understand that I absolutely love the techniques, skill and most projects that I see in the 'altered' zone. But please can we call it something else?

If I take a card blank, stamp on it, add a couple of embellies and send it to a friend, what've I sent? A card. Yep. BUT, if I cover an Altoids tin with papers and stick a couple of flowers to the lid, apparently, I've altered it. But I haven't really. It's still a tin to put things in, if not mints! If I'd taken the Altoid tin and turned it into a small family car, now that would be altered, huh? When I covered my exercise books with wallpaper and stickers at school, I wasn't altering it. I was covering it. I realise that not all techniques in this genre involve using paper, indeed, I have a couple of bottles of alcohol based inks myself...but all I do is blob them onto inanimate dimensional objects. Whatever I do, I cannot get them to make my project into a soft ice cream machine or a gaggia coffee maker or indeed the Kenwood Chef that I'm still yearning for. Someone let me in on the altering thing so I can stop wingeing would ya?

8 comments:

Ginny said...

lol...I like this one, very cute :0)

Anonymous said...

Nice card... maybe you could call it 'altered cardstock'?

Claire said...

very funky.

Sandie said...

are you trying to make me spew coffee out of my nose? Oh my word, you have me laughing pretty hard this morning!

Jay said...

Wish I could help you with the Kenwood Chef, until you get one you'll have to continue altering card blanks. :-)

Jo Power said...

Love the card sorry altered cardstock and I have to agree can't we find another name for making it sparkly and pretty how about being creative or recycling.

Chris said...

Thank you for a wonderful post which made me smile very much. I totally agree with you on this one, a tin is a tin is a tin and some of the fancy titles for what we do to the tin leave me wondering too! I think recycling would be my term of preference although I've never as yet been inspired to recycle a tin, coffee jar, jam jar etc., etc. The washing powder clear plastic container I keep some of my pens in remains un-recycled LOL! I love your card, and your idea for the hanging image. Perfect colours for the Colour Create Challenge this week, glad you could join in as I thoroughly enjoyed reading your post. Chris :)

Anonymous said...

RL (Royal Subject), you've taken the words right out of my mouth in regards to altered this and that.... One needs to alter his/her state of mind to see beauty in it.
As usual, your writing and musings keep me in stitches!! You're the best!
Regards to Mr. and Miss Dunnit
RH